Vacation

We spent a week at the Cape. The girls had a wonderful time playing in the sand, chasing crabs, swimming in the bay, watching the boats, eating ice cream almost every night after dinner.... What a life! It was a lovely time, and Wellfleet- as always- was good to all of us.


Ava and Joanie have a snack on the beach


Playing in the sand


In the backyard


Joanie ALWAYS had room for ice cream after dinner!

Ava enjoying the sprinkler park on a hot summer day

Our CSA and the wonders of u-pick vegetables

This year we joined a local CSA so that we could enjoy fresh farm fruits and vegetable. The farm is gorgeous, with wonderful mountain views and lovely fields of rye. While I knew we would love the wonderful produce, I didn't realize how much Ava would love the farm. We go every Friday and spend quite a few hours out there romping and picking things. She is has been eating the peas straight off the vine and strawberries too. Her favorite all-time activity, however, is dirt- digging in the dirt, rolling in the dirt, pouring dirt over her head, or better yet, encouraging her friend Leon to pour dirt over her head. Ava loves dirt!

These pictures are from last Saturday- we took Zan to pick strawberries. She doesn't usually get to go because of work so this was a real treat for Ava.

Ava and Amrit

Cousin Amrit came to visit from Virginia (and Aunt Medge!) and Ava was in HEAVEN! She thinks her "Ama" is the best, and Amrit is very, very sweet with her. It was a short visit, but we managed to visit with Grandad and Grammy in Vermont, and also get some swimming in.

Hanging out in the back yard

Ava - June

Buddies

Ava and Joanie- May 2008


Ava and Joanie- May 2008

Adoption Day

In which Zan takes time out of her hectic schedule of feeding, bathing and clothing Ava, not to mention the countless other parental tasks that she does daily in addition to her full-time job, so that the state of Massachusetts can recognize her as Ava's true 2nd parent, other mother, whatever you want to call it.

Having said that, we are grateful that in our state 2nd parent adoptions are allowed (there are still places in which they are not) and that it is a relatively easy process.

Ava - 19 months

Believe it or not, this was a relatively calm hair day for Ava. Her hair is as wild as she is.

Mother's Day

We had a nice Mother's Day doing not much of anything.... took a walk in the beautiful sunshine to our favorite breakfast place, went to the playground and then back home for a nap (Ava) and housechores (us). Ava did her usual playing in the front yard, pushing her babies up and down the sidewalk in her stroller and saying hello to every car and person that comes by.

This, by far, is her new all-time favorite activity. First there is an announcement of what, or who is coming by, as in CAR! or DOGGIE!- and then the greeting- HELLO CAR! HELLO DOGGIE!- followed up by the goodbye, complete with a wave- BYE BYE CAR! - BYE BYE DOGGIE! , and further followed up by a conversation about it that will last a good 5 minutes after they've left- CAR BYE-BYE, DOGGIE BYE-BYE..................... PLANE!
and here we go again....

Flash-back Photo

Ava and Joanie hanging out with some stuffed animals last summer. I can't believe how much they've both grown since then!

Some video of Ava with her cousins, Madison and Michael

http://vimeo.com/932315

Suddenly, a little kid

Ava is 1 1/2 now. I don't know how this happened, how yesterday we were holding a tiny, swaddled bundle of a baby and today we have a little girl, sitting on the front steps with her first skinned knee.

What's in Mommy's purse today?

Ava, Easter Sunday

Whenever we're going to get Ava a little dressed up, we tell her it's time to put her "Fancys on", and whenever we're going to put on her little sweat pants and overshirts, we tell her it's time to "Put on cozies"... Needless to say, we are mostly all in our "Cozies" around here, but Aunt Jenny and Uncle Nick came to visit this weekend, and Aunt Jenny likes the "Fancys", so she got to dress Ava for a night on the town- and of course Ava loved it, and twirled and twirled in her little poncho like a movie star.

So here is Ava all dressed up in her "Fancys" last Saturday night.


It's really kind of fun having a girl.

Ava, before bed on Monday night

Big-Girl Crush

Isabella is 4 years old, has beautiful big blue eyes, and Ava is absolutely amazed by her.

Cooking in the Kitchen with Mommy

Ava- 15 months